Judy Blume

a life

Mark Oppenheimer

$39.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Scribe Publications
31 March 2026

Biography; Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers; Children's literature studies: general; Popular culture; Social issues & processes

The definitive, all-access biography of one of the world's most beloved literary voices, showcasing a life as triumphant and inspiring as the stories she crafted.

To know the name Judy Blume is to know and love literature. Her influential novels have touched tens of millions of readers. For more than fifty-five years, her work has revolutionised young people's literature - frank, candid, and unafraid to show humanity's messier sides.

But Judy Blume was an unlikely literary icon. Judith Marcia Sussman, a Jewish girl from New Jersey, was a restless thirty-year-old stay-at-home mother when her passion for reading suddenly became a talent for writing. What followed was unrivalled creative energy- ten books in just five years that reshaped literature for generations. The emotional core of her beloved books - death, religion, coming-of-age, sexuality, bullying - stems from her own childhood experiences.

In Judy Blume, journalist Mark Oppenheimer crafts a beautiful portrait of the acclaimed author through extensive interviews with Blume and unparalleled access to her papers. Oppenheimer explores Blume's 1950s upbringing, complicated childhood, varied relationships, sexual experiences, heartache, and enduring legacy as a champion of free speech. He reveals the woman behind the literary empire in all her complex glory - a true gift for anyone who grew up reading these extraordinary books.

'At last - a biography of Judy Blume that is worthy of its subject. Oppenheimer is a masterful chronicler of Blume's remarkable life and extraordinary impact. Writers and readers alike will leave this work emboldened, inspired, and encouraged.' -Tayari Jones, bestselling author of An American Marriage

'Paints a picture of a diligent, driven writer seeking a unique voice ... A buoyant biography of a writer who redefined young people's literature.' -Kirkus Reviews

'If you are one of the millions of Judy Blume's readers who ever wondered, ""What is she like in real life?"" this book is for you. Judy Blume- a life is charming, candid, thoughtful, and funny, and perfectly tuned to the zeitgeist of her time, just like her bestselling novels.' -Debby Applegate, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, author of Madam- the biography of Polly Adler, icon of the jazz age

By: Mark Oppenheimer
Imprint: Scribe Publications
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 1mm, Width: 1mm,
Weight: 1g
ISBN: 9781761380686
ISBN 10: 1761380680
Pages: 480
Publication Date: 31 March 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Mark Oppenheimer holds a PhD in religious studies from Yale, and has taught at Stanford, Wesleyan, Wellesley, NYU, Boston College, and Yale, where he was the founding director of the Yale Journalism Initiative. From 2010 to 2016, he wrote the 'Beliefs' column for The New York Times, and has written for The New Yorker, The Nation, GQ, Slate, and many more. He is the author of five books, most recently, Squirrel Hill- the tree of life synagogue shooting and the soul of a neighborhood. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, four daughters, one son, and two dogs.